3. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

In conjunction with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the Group will be hosting an international conference on April 14 and 15, 2016. It will be held at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued an updated definition for refuse-derived fuel (RDF). This updated definition now includes a specification on RDF’s minimum calorific content as agreed with the end-user. Earlier in 2015, the Department issues a one-line definition, after announcing in its response to the “Refuse derived fuel market in England” call for evidence in December 2014 that it would intervene with the market to tackle waste crime. Defra has also announced that a treatment standard would not be introduced along with the definition, as this would run counter to the Department’s efforts to cut red tape.

Three new Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have recently been appointed in Northern Ireland. The authorities will have responsibility for coordinating waste enforcement actions within regions, setting priorities and common objectives for waste enforcement, ensuring consistent enforcement of waste legislation across the three existing waste management planning regions while still leaving local authority personnel as first responders on the ground to specific breaches of waste legislation.
The new authorities are as follows:
• Southern Region – Cork County Council
• Connaught Ulster Region – Leitrim & Donegal County Councils (Joint)
• Eastern & Midlands Region – Dublin City Council